Her statement yanked me back to reality and along with it an uneasiness behind my breastbone.
“Oh yeah? Another date?”
The words did not roll off my tongue easily, and I had no fucking idea why.
“With my parents,” she snapped. “Not that it’s any of your business.”
She was absolutely right. What she did in her free time was none of my damn business. That still didn’t stop me from inching even closer. Dipping my head, I searched her eyes, and dammit, the sadness from the day before was still there.
“Why are you sad, Kate?”
Her mouth popped open, and her gaze hardened. “Oh, would you give it a rest already.” With a sharp shake of her head, she sidestepped me.
I wasn’t ready for her to go.
Shooting my arm out, I grabbed her by the elbow again. The murderous look she shot me would have made a lesser man cower at her feet. But unfortunately for Kate, I was fucking relentless when I wanted something.
And right now, I wanted Kate.
No,that wasn’t right. I only wanted to know why she looked like someone kicked a puppy in front of her so the image of her sad eyes would leave my damn brain.
“Tristan.” Her tone held the same warning as her glare.
I ignored it and her vehement protests as I hurried us to the nearest café—one where my two friends weren’t. The last thing I needed was for them to get on my ass over this.
“What the hell are you doing?” She tried to free her arm, but I held on tighter.
Probably not the best idea, manhandling her like this, but I’d worry and feel bad about it later. And lucky for me, people were so immersed in their own things, no one paid us any attention.
“Sit,” I told her when we reached a booth at the back of the café.
She crossed her arms over her chest—as much as she could with me still holding on to her. “No.”
Reluctantly, I loosened my grip and hoped like hell she wouldn’t storm out. Heaven knew, she had every right to.
“Please, sit.” I tried a second time.
Her eyes narrowed, and she opened her mouth, then slammed it shut again. Shaking her head, she spun around. Two steps, that was all she took before she stopped dead in her tracks.
She stared at something. I tried to follow her gaze, but I only saw people milling about for their morning fix.
“Kate?”
Lowering her head, her shoulders rose and fell with the deep breath she took. She stayed like that for a few seconds before she faced me and took a seat.
Thank fuck.
I slid into the boothtoo.
“I’ve worked for you for almost five years. Not once have you showed any interest in my emotional state.” She pinned me with a stare. “Why now?”
I shrugged. “I don’t know.”
She made a noise and looked at something over her shoulder. I still couldn’t figure out who or what she was staring at.
“I didn’t make partner.” The words tumbled over my lips without my permission. “Not yet anyway.”
Her gaze snapped back to mine. “What?”
